Astronomy Never Seemed So Appealing
by xtibbyxmarie
Summary: AU: I am not falling for Draco Malfoy! He's slime, he's scum, he's...he's...soo hot...Snap out of it Hermione this is not you!I wish there was a book labeled "I'm falling in love with a dirt bag!" ...Maybe I could check the library- Hermione/Draco/Ron
1. We're almost there

"Hermione, I just don't see why you need so many classes, "Harry proclaimed, while reading my course list, "it's not as if you'll fall behind if you don't use your free period for another course."

"Well why would I waste perfectly valuable study hours?" I said defeffensively

Harry just shook his head in disbelief and turned to see Ron coming back into the compartment.

"How much longer do you reckon we have before getting to Hogwarts?" Ron asked as he looked out the window.

"Not much longer I suppose, I better get changed." I picked up my school robes and headed down the hallway.

_Looking down at my robes it feels like just yesterday that every bone in my body was shaking in anticipation for the annual Hogwarts sorting ceremony. I couldn't breathe, and the only thing that kept me from falling to the ground was the magnificent enchanted ceiling in the great hall. That's why I jumped at the chance to take astrology as a course this year, even if it meant giving up my free period._

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><p>"Hermione!" I turned on my heel to see Ginny Weasley running towards me as I left the changing compartment.<p>

"Ginny, how are you?" I asked as she squeezed me into a hug,

"Dreadful considering you weren't at the Burrow all summer!" She teased.

"I'm sure you had an amazing summer without me." I replied. She looked down at her shoes and smirked, "What?" I pinched her side, "What!"

"Okay well since Harry was at the burrow for most of the summer I spent a lot of the summer flying around the backyard trying to get a glimpse into Ron's room to see him," she smiled, "and I saw him alright..." She giggled.

I looked at her shocked, "So you were peeping!"

"No, no I didn't peep, I-I...glanced" the red head stammered.

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><p>We both laughed and started making our way to the compartment. When we got there we saw Ron, his face as red as his hair with anger, pointing his wand at none other than Draco Malfoy, Hogwarts' own human Blast-ended Skrewt. I told Ginny to stay outside while I opened up the compartment and walked slowly towards Ron. Draco sneered at me but I ignored him.<p>

Ron growled, "Don't you look at her!" spitting his words out so that they narrowly missed hitting Draco. Harry was doing his best to hold Ron back and was trying to talk to him the best he could through Ron's heavy breathing.

I put my hand on Ron's shoulder and looked at him, "Please put your wand down Ron, he isn't worth your time." I cooed softly. Ron glanced down at my hand, then my face and Draco took his chance to run out of the open compartment door.

Ron exhaled and put his wand down, "Great." he muttered. Harry shot me a grateful glance and sat down next to Ron. For a moment we were all silent then Ginny came in and pointed towards the door.

"What was that all about?" She stood there in utter confusion.

Ron looked at me, then at his sister, stood up and forced a smile onto his face, "Nothing." He said.

"Nothing!" Ginny shouted, "You call that nothing!"

Ron just nodded so I looked at Ginny and said, "Oh Ginny I left my muggle shirt in the changing compartment would you mind terribly grabbing it?" I winked at her and she reluctantly agreed.

The moment she left I sat down across from Ron and whispered, "What happened?"

Ron answered in mid-stretch, "He was being a dick." Harry stifled a laugh when he saw my face and I turned back to Ron.

"Yeah but how was today any different?" I questioned.

Ron just shrugged and answered nonchalantly, "He said different things." Then as if that was the end of things, Harry got up and announced that he was going to get some sweets from the trolley._ Funny I didn't hear the trolley_. Ron looked up at me when Harry shut the door, "You didn't come to the burrow this summer."

I nodded, "Yeah my parents decided that I spend far too much time away from them, so I stayed at home."

Ron looked back down; "Oh." was all he said. Just as I was about to tell him how much I missed him, Ginny sauntered in. About half an hour later I caught sight of the castle in the distance.

Smiling I said, "We're almost there."


	2. Draco Draco Malfoy?

I took my seat in the Great Hall at the Gryffindor table, in between Ron and Harry and watched as the first years anxiously shuffled in. All of their eyes were practically bouncing in their sockets and most of them were so unfocused that they were stepping on each others' feet. I stared up at the magical ceiling and got lost in the swirls of shiny stars, it wasn't until I felt someone hit my shoulder that I looked down to see Dumbledore preparing to start the ceremony. I twisted my body around to see that it was Ginny who had tapped me and now she was resuming staring at Harry with a longing (creepy) look. With a small smile on my face I looked at Dumbledore who was just about done stroking his beard.

"Ladies, Gentleman, ghosts and ghouls," He began, "May I just start the sorting ceremony by saying a few words, Balderdash pumpkin patch."

Dumbledore's smile broadened as he watched all the first years' faces mix with laughter and uncertainty. As the sorting ceremony progressed I let my mind and eyes wander all around the room, only to land on Draco Malfoy, who incidentally wasn't looking too pleased. Don't get me wrong I'm always happy when Draco isn't happy but for some reason this strikes me as odd considering everyone around him is beaming and positively exuberant what with all of the evil-looking first years who have just joined the Slytherin table. Draco suddenly returned my stare and I abruptly averted my eyes back to the sorting hat, who seemed to be just finishing up his sorting. With the wisp of his wand, food appeared on the golden plates and platters, Ron started scarfing down everything in sight while Harry seemed to be quite taken back with what was in front of him and couldn't decide what to eat. Eventually the hum of energy in the room relinquished and Ron and I stood up to lead the Gryffindor's to the common room.

As I slid into bed that night I couldn't get the nagging feeling from my brain that Astronomy wouldn't be as much fun as I hoped but I pushed it away and curled up under my covers. I feel fast asleep, my mind clear of all worries (including nagging ones.)

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><p><em>Arg that sun is really bright...wait...why is the sun so bright...<em>I bolted up in bed and looked around, the dormitory was completely empty,

"Shit!" I muttered, I hastily got dressed and attempted to calm down my mane of hair, which incidentally has a mind of its own. I Ran down the stairs, and opened the door but i tripped on my way out over my untied shoelaces and ended up on the ground of the Gryffindor common room with everyone staring at me. I looked up,

"Uhmm hello..." I got up tried to fix myself when I spotted Harry and Ginny sitting on a couch. In the silence of everyone watching me I managed to stomp over to them before yelling at everyone

"TO MIND THEIR OWN BUSINESS!" Harry and Ginny stopped laughing and looked at me and before I knew it they were laughing again, I glared at them till they stopped laughing and since they weren't going to do so anytime soon I jinxed their mouths so that they couldn't laugh. Although their faces were still scrunched up from laughing so hard so the affect was still there. I unjinxed them and asked,

"Why didn't anyone wake me up what time is it?"

"Don't worry Hermione we haven't even gone to breakfast yet." Harry was still holding back laughter. Ginny stood up and lead me to a corner on the other side of the room,

"I'm sorry but we got distracted and we wouldn't have left without you."

"It's alright besides as long as it's for a good cause." I smiled and elbowed her in the side. She glanced at Harry who was patiently waiting for her to return.

"Go over there and tell Harry to get Ron then we'll leave okay?" Ginny looked me over and said,

"Nope, that's okay we can wait 5 minutes."

"Why?" I asked.

"Oh because you're sweater is inside out, you tie is on backwards, not sure how you did that, your shoes are untied and your leg missed your tights so you only have tights on one leg and the other is just hanging about." I looked at myself then at her and started laughing so hard that I nearly fell over.

"Alright I'll be right back."

Once I had fixed my outfit and yet again attempted to stop my hair from poofing I walked, slowly, back down to the common room. Harry was in the middle of telling Ron about how I looked and his gut was about to burst I swear. We ate breakfast together and eventually split up to go to class, Ginny to charms, Harry and Ron to Divination and me to Arithmancy. Class after class I waited and longed for free period until finally it was free period! I practically skipped with joy when the bell rang and hurried off to the astronomy tower. Once I got there I found a seat at the front of the class and took out my books. People came in and took their seats and Professor Sinistra began.

"Hello class my name is professor Sinistra and this is Advanced Astronomy." Yay!

"Now to start off class I am going to take attendance and split you all into pairs and that person will be your partner for the rest of the year as I see fit." She scrolled through the attendance but I wasn't listening I said here at my name and then couldn't help but start to let my mind wander to the stars and planets.

"Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy." ...did she just say Draco Malfoy...that is impossible...no way.

"I'm sorry professor did I hear you right?"

"Let's see Miss Granger you will be partners with Mr. Malfoy. Now as I was-"

"But Draco Malfoy cannot be in this class; this is for advance students only."

"I can assure you Miss Granger that Mr. Malfoy is well equipped to be taking this class now if you would please go and sit with your partner." Her stern voice made me stand up and find Draco sitting at the back of the classroom. I sat down with a huff and prepared for all of Draco's snide comments and unwelcome remarks, but instead he simple said,

"Hi." I glared at him,

"What no mudblood?" I whispered fiercely. He shook his head and looked up at me with those odd gleaming gray eyes and- you are not thinking about his eyes- so I turned away and focused on the lesson.

Class went by without any screaming, kicking, or deadly curses. Although I can't say that there wasn't a great deal of glaring. Once it was over I spent the rest of my classes focused on what could have possessed Draco Malfoy enough to be good at Astronomy. Eventually it was dinner and I knew that I had to tell everyone about it, or maybe not.

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><p>"The Chudley Cannons can still win this next game it isn't over for them!" Ron and Harry were in a heated discussion over Quidditch and Ginny looked like she was about to claw her eyes out.<p>

"Oh my god, If I have to hear one more thing about The Bloody Chudley Cannons I swear I will hex myself!" I cleared my throat and everyone looked at me with wide eyes obviously unaware that I was even there.

"Oh 'ermione when 'id you get 'ere?" Ron asked, his mouth stuffed with food.

"Just now actually, and you guys will not believe who is in my Astronomy class." Harry and Ron looked back down at their food but Ginny leaned closer,

"Who?" she whispered.

"Draco Malfoy." Even saying his name sent a creepy shiver down my spine and at this Harry and Ron both looked at me and said in unison,

"What!" I swear at that meal I repeated his name about 5 times and each time felt as weird as the first. After the first shock set in and ran its course we started heading back up to the Gryffindor common room. Harry told me to wait in the common room because he had to grab something upstairs and Ginny said she would help him, and it is so obvious how they feel about each other!

"So you're his partner then?" Ron asked.

"Yes, this should ruddy well be a great year." I mumbled in spite. Ron chuckled,

"Hey Hermione have you ever, I don't know, thought about well us?"

"What do you mean us?"

"I mean..." Ron was cut off from talking by Harry and Ginny laughing as they walked down the steps. _Was he finally going to man up and tell me how he feels? How do I feel?_

"Alright guys who wants to go visit Dobby?" In Harry's arms was his invisibility cloak and he had such a look of mischief on his face that for just a moment I didn't feel up to explaining to all of them about how Dobby and Winky and all of the others cannot be treated as our personal servants. But just for a moment,

"You know S.P.E.W is still quite at large and its numbers have grown vast." I said while we all crammed under Harry's cloak and made our way out of the common room.

"Shut up Hermione!" They all whispered at once. Finally we walked past the Hufflepuff common room and as we turned the corner we saw someone who looked strangely familiar leaving the kitchens.

"Bye Dobby, I'll see you next week." He waved at Dobby who was sticking his head out of the portrait door before hurrying back inside. Wait a minute I know where I've seen him before, that's,

"Draco Malfoy." Ginny Whispered_. Why is it that everywhere I go he has to turn up! Not to mention the irony that we were going to get hot chocolate to comfort me over the fact that HE is my partner for the rest of the year!_ We all looked at each other and continued down the corridor to the fruit portrait. I got to tickle the pear_, I love this part!_ After we thanked the house elves and got our hot chocolate we set off again for the common room.

"Draco I just don't think this is working, you've changed a lot this summer and not for the better." We all stopped in our tracks and craned our necks to see what was going on, even though we were under an invisibility cloak so there was no need. What we saw was Draco leaning against a wall while Pansy Parkinson was obviously breaking up with him. "You've become weak and boring, we hardly ever make out or start fights with people anymore and I've come to the conclusion that this won't work." Harry, Ron, and Ginny were all fighting to keep their laughter quiet but all I could think of is how Draco looks as if he could care less. Then while I was staring at Draco, his head perked up and he looked straight at me almost knowing that I was there. _Oh Merlin that's weird._

"Guys let's get out of here." I whispered as loudly as I dared, they didn't want to go but with enough pushing and prodding I finally got them to move on, Draco's eyes following me the whole way.

Once we made it back to the common room our hot chocolate was cold and since this day had been nothing more than a disaster I decided to go to bed, but no one would let me.

"Hermione I've got this covered." Harry, with a grin, reached into his pocket and pulled out Spike, he set the miniature Hungarian Horntail on the table and it yawned and stretched out its wings.

"Aww." Ginny sighed. At hearing this, Spike growled at her just to prove his toughness, which only made Ginny sigh more. I looked at harry,

"Besides making Ginny swoon with glee what is Spike supposed to do?" Harry smiled at me then knelt towards Spike and started talking to him, at first I couldn't hear what he was saying but then he started to growl at Spike,

"Are you growl…"

"Shh." Ron hushed me. I watched as Harry and Spike started growling at each other and then harry was yelling and Spike was making nonverbal sounds come out of his mouth. Then Harry nonchalantly pushed the cups of hot chocolate in front of him and started breathing angrily which made Spike breathe angrily and when Spike, THE DRAGON, breathes angrily he breathes more than just air. The fire came out of spike's mouth and Harry quickly backed away so that the fire only hit the hot chocolate. We all started clapping and spike's head perked up looking insulted as he looked at us all laughing. He kept on breathing fire to show us that he was tough which only made us laugh even more because by the time Harry calmed us and Spike down our cocoa was steaming.

_It turned into just the night I needed and by the time I went to bed the farthest thing on my mind was how you could see Draco's chest when he was fighting with Pansy, through his shirt because I guess he spilled his drink and it looked really nice. Yeah, the farthest thing from my mind. _


	3. Sitting It Out

_**Hey Guys I'm sorry it took so long for me to post this, not to mention it isn't very long but I promise next chapter will make up for it! I hope everyone had an awesome holiday and happy new year! We better make the most of 2012, it will be our last (just kidding! lol). My editor is IantosStopwatch, check her out! Thank you for reading and as a new years present you should all comment****! Byeeeeeee!**_

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><p>"Ginny," I yelled, snapping my fingers in her face,<p>

"You get to make gooey eyes at Harry all the time, _we_ need to talk!" She took one last longing look at Harry and turned to me,

"About what?" I sighed,

"What am I going to do about this whole Draco situation?" Ginny shrugged.

"Sit it out." She offered.

"You're no help! Go and stare at Harry." Her head perked up and she returned to her guilty pleasure. _Maybe I should go see Professor Sinistra and get this whole thing settled._

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><p>It took about 15 minutes to get to the Astronomy Tower and another 5 just to make it to the top. When I finally got to Professor Sinistra's office I was out of breath. <em>I should start exercising. <em>I knocked on her door and it pushed open. I peered inside. _No one is here._ I turned to leave but something made me stop. _No one is here; I could just sneak a peek- No Hermione you are not like Harry or Ron! Behaving like one of them is completely and utterly out of the question… unless…_ I tiptoed to her desk and opened up the drawers looking for Draco's file. _What are you doing? _

"Accio Draco's file." A file flew out of the drawer and into my hand.

"Yes!" I whispered. Then, taking one last look outside to make sure no one was coming, I settled myself onto the desk to read what I assured myself was "Of the utmost urgency."

I started to read: Draco Lucius Malfoy - The young student, Mr. Malfoy, shows great promise in the art of Astronomy and should consider a career in such a field. He does not, however, seem to take his responsibilities seriously. Maturity is of great importance in the practice of Astronomy, as well as most other career paths, but Mr. Malfoy does not show a taste for such a manner.

I finished reading and put the file down. _Were those footsteps?_ I scurried to the door and peeked outside only to see Draco Malfoy walking this way. I panicked, sent the file flying back into the drawer, and ran around the room trying to find a place to hide.

_Shit! _I ran to the broom cupboard and stepped inside, crushing my toes as I closed the door. Luckily, it was closed just in time because at that moment Draco walked in. My breathing was erratic and I couldn't stop shaking. I watched Draco look around the office and do as I did, basically have a sort of mental fight with himself. _What are you doing?_ Draco seemed to have made up his mind because then he ran over to the open drawer and said, "Accio Hermione's file." I gasped, obviously a bit too loudly because Draco put the file back and started looking around the office when he set his eyes on the cupboard. _No please just go away don't find me!_ He opened up the door and I just stood there.

"Uhmm, Hi." I said meekly. His mouth gaped at me but before he had time to ask me anything we both heard footsteps and the sound of Professor Sinistra's voice and she was clearly speaking with none other than Professor Dumbledore. Draco looked at the door then back at me. "No." I said, "You cannot come in here it's far too squashed as it is." But as I was talking he mouthed sorry and climbed in with me. We closed the door until all we could see was a slight view of her office and all we could here was each other's frantic breathing. _I am way too close to Draco Malfoy right now, what would Ron say? Oh come on! Why do you care what Ron says? He obviously doesn't care about you._ My thoughts were interrupted when I felt Draco's hand brush against mine, I looked down but it was so dark that I could only see Draco's gleaming silver eyes and I was trying so hard not to focus on them.

"Now, now Aurora, don't be hasty." Dumbledore's voice rang through the office as they stepped inside.

"No Albus I won't have it, if Peeves sets another foot in this tower I will hex him into the next dimension! I'm thinking he seems a bit cold, maybe a trip to hell would be just the ticket." I felt Draco snicker next to me and I couldn't help but to flash a smile at him, which I quickly got rid of. As Dumbledore and Professor Sinistra talked I struggled to keep my distance from Draco, which was quite hard to do in a broom cupboard. Dumbledore was looking all around the room as if he sensed us and I thought: _that's impossible he doesn't know we're here._ And just as that thought escaped, Dumbledore's eyes were glued to the cupboard, I watched him peer around it and settle his eyes on mine. _Shit he sees us! It's over. I'm going to have to go back home and become a dentist, and I REALLY don't care about teeth!_ But all Dumbledore did was smile slightly and turn back to Professor Sinistra. _It's possible he didn't see us._

"Hermione," Draco whispered, "What you saw, I mean I shouldn't have been reading your file." I looked up at those gleaming eyes and whispered back, "I read yours." He smiled, and for one moment I completely forgot: A) I was in a broom cupboard. B) I was in a broom cupboard with Draco Malfoy. C) I WAS IN A BROOM CUPBOARD WITH DRACO MALFOY!

"Well I think that is all Aurora now why don't you accompany me to the Great Hall for Dinner," he held out his arm and she took it. The minute we heard their footsteps drown out we burst from the cupboard.

"I thought we would be in there all night long!"

"I thought we would be in there all year long!" We both laughed and it was such a shock to me to be laughing with Draco that I just stopped abruptly and said, "Right. Well, that was fun but I should get going." He looked at me and said, "Wait, do you maybe Uhmm…" He put on his best Dumbledore impression, "… Want to accompany me to dinner?" I laughed even harder and nodded as he put his arm out for me. _This is such a bad idea! Shut up Hermione!_

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><p><em><strong>What did you guys think? Am I only one who would love to be in a broom cupboard with Draco Malfoy? (No I'm not!) WWOOOAAAHHH!<strong>  
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